“If you like your health insurance, you can keep it. Period.” Those words will haunt Barack Obama through the remainder of his term and probably achieve eternal life in books of memorable quotations.

Obama’s words will levy even more contemporary embarrassment and political immortality than George H.W. Bush’s “Read my lips. No new taxes,” or Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” (Bush probably believed his “no new taxes” pledge when he said it, but he reversed his policy so soon that it sounded like a lie.)

Obama’s famous line is worse than those of the others because it was a gross lie about something that matters to millions of Americans and costs them lots of money. His line is also unforgettable because he repeated it so many times (37 times according to PolitiFact) and because his staff knew it was a lie when they put it on the teleprompter and notepad for Obama to read.

To compound his contempt for the American people, Obama’s so-called apology was not an apology at all. It was a bunch of soft-sell words to enable his media sycophants to pretend it was an apology.

Now Obama is trying to cover his tracks by revising what he said. His revision of this promise is that you can keep your health insurance, but it must be a better plan.

“Better,” of course, means it must cover more medical conditions and services that you don’t want or need, such as pregnancy for men and women over age 50, anti-addiction therapies and the new mandate to give equal coverage to mental problems.

Contrary to reports by the media, Obama did not apologize for lying to the American people. He did not say he was sorry for lying to us. He said he is “sorry” that some people find themselves in a “situation” based on his “assurances” that were “not as clear as we needed to be.”

That’s tantamount to saying it’s our fault that we misunderstood. In fact, Obama did make it perfectly “clear” that we could keep our health insurance and our doctor. He did not say he was sorry for giving us false assurances.

The American public is left with an Obamacare website that does not work and which has become fodder for late-night comedy routines. The District of Columbia signed up only five Obamacare enrollees for the month of October, at an average cost to the taxpayers of $26.7 million apiece.

For $26.7 million, an individual could receive a valuable amount of medical care. Instead, under Obamacare, the American public is receiving little more than frustration, bureaucracy and broken promises.

Other states are reporting similar financial debacles. Delaware reports that the cost of its four enrollees in the Delaware health insurance exchange under Obamacare is $1 million apiece, at taxpayer expense.

The more Obama talked with NBC News, the deeper into a hole he dug himself. He criticized as “sub-par” the current health insurance plans many Americans have and like, and he assured those people they will like the “better” insurance Obamacare will force them to replace it with, even though it’s more expensive and covers more problems, coverage they don’t want and can’t afford.

Now we find that a doctor shortage is threatening to make the rollout of Obamacare even more difficult. Obama added another very “clear” statement when he spoke to the American Medical Association on June 15, 2009: “No matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor. Period. If you like your health-care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health-care plan. Period. No one will take it away, no matter what.”

Obama’s lie about medical insurance nestles firmly in his administration’s pattern of deception about other issues. His push for amnesty is also encrusted with lies.

Start with the repeated promise that any amnesty deal will include closing the border to future illegals. Those promises have been repeated for years, and the administration obviously has no intention of closing the border to illegal entrants.

Congress passed the Secure Fence Act of 2006 by 283 to 138 in the House and 80 to 19 in the Senate. Knowing of the bill’s overwhelming popularity, President George W. Bush invited the press to photograph him signing the bill, and we cheered the photo op.

The most interesting part about the Secure Fence Act is that this overwhelmingly popular law was never funded. So, therefore, why is it so difficult to refuse funding for the most unpopular law in our times, Obamacare?

Receive Phyllis Schlafly's commentaries in your email

BONUS: By signing up for Phyllis Schlafly's alerts, you will also be signed up for news and special offers from WND via email.

Name*

FirstLast

Email*

Where we will email your daily updates

Postal code*

A valid zip code or postal code is required

Click the button below to sign up for Phyllis Schlafly's commentaries by email, and keep up to date with special offers from WND. You may change your email preferences at any time.